Clothes dryer

ABSTRACT

A generally small capacity automatic clothes dryer is shown utilizing a draw-through air circulation system and having a unitarily molded air duct defining an inlet chamber, fan scroll portion, and air outlet or exhaust chamber for mounting on the front panel of the dryer housing in air flow communication between the access opening leading to the interior of the tub and through which the moist air exits the tub in a confined path leading to the duct, and a forwardly facing discharge opening in the front panel.

United States Patent Jacobsen, Jr. July 1, 1975 [54] CLOTHES DRYER3,l97,886 8/!965 Brame et al. 34 133 75 Inventor: Jerome G. Jacobsen,.lr., Mansfield. 1 Ohio Primary E.raminerl(enneth W Sprague AssistantExaminer-James C. Yeung Asslgnee? whue'weslmghmlse Corporallon Attorney.Agent, or FirmMcNenny, Farrington,

Cleveland Ohio Pearne & Gordon [22] Filed: May 29, I974 [21 App]. NO.I474,286 {57] ABSTRACT A generally small capacity automatic clothes dryeris [52] U S CL 34/l33 34/139 shown utilizing a draw-through aircirculation system [5H Fzb 11/04 and having a unitarily molded air ductdefining an [58] i I33 134 inlet chamber, fan scroll portion, and airoutlet or ex- 34/138 haust chamber for mounting on the front panel ofthe dryer housing in air flow communication between the [56] RderencesCited access opening leading to the interior of the tub and throughwhich the moist air exits the tub in a confined UNITED STATES PATENTSpath leading to the duct, and a forwardly facing dis- Shapter 4 i v i iharge pening in the front panel 2,886 90l 5/1959 Whyte et al. l. 34/l333,!67A09 H1965 Brucken .4 34/l33 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MTFHTFDJUL1 SHEET FIG. 2

CLOTHES DRYER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates generally to automatic clothes dryers and moreparticularly to an air flow duct structure and arrangement in aforwardly exhausting dryer.

2. Description of the Prior Art In regular size domestic clothes dryers(i.e. those capable of drying within a certain limited time a Il2 poundload of clothes) it is generally necessary to exhaust the moist warm airexteriorly of the building housing the dryer to maintain the air withinthe building at an acceptable comfort level with respect to temperatureand vapor content. Thus, the air flow system for such a dryer commonlyincludes a duct directing the exhaust air through the rear panel of thedryer housing for connection with a flexible pipe leading to an exteriorvent. However, compact automatic dryers having a smaller clothescapacity and using less power generally permit exhausting the air withinthe building or room containing the dryer without exceeding acceptedcomfort level for heat and moisture. This is aided by the fact that suchcompact dryers generally are paired with automatic washers which have arelatively high centrifuging speed in the spin cycle such that themoisture content of the clothes, removed therefrom and placed in thedryer, is much less.

Also, in that these compact dryers are generally readily movable, asbeing mounted on castors, they are easily serviceable from the rearpanel as opposed to the larger stationary dryers which, for convenience.are generally serviceable from the front panel.

Taking these facts into consideration along with the desire to provide asimple and inexpensive structure for a compact dryer it was determinedthat the air flow system could be greatly reduced in complexity and costand particularly suited to a smaller capacity dryer by forwardlyexhausting the dryer air through a unitarily molded air intake, fanscroll and air discharge chamber mounted on the front panel of themachine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides an air flow system for agenerally reduced capacity automatic clothes dryer having a forwardlyfacing air discharge for exhausting the dryer internally of the roomcontaining the dryer. A draw-through air system is employed wherein theclothes tub is on the low pressure side of the air circulating fan andthe moist warm air, after exiting the tub through its forwardly facingaccess opening, is directed through a filter into a unitary integrallymolded plastic box-like member mounted on the backside of the frontpanel. This molded member defines a forwardly open air intake chamber inair flow communication with the filter, a forwardly facing exhaustchamber in communication with the forwardly open exhaust of the frontpanel, and a rearwardly facing fan scroll housing the air circulatingfan and in communication with each of the forwardly facing chambers. Theair is drawn into the clothes tub through louvers in the rear panel ofthe housing and openings in the rear of the clothes tub, thence out thetub through the front access opening in a path confined by the closedfront door and through an opening covered by the filter for removal ofentrained lint and leading into the intake chamber, fan

scroll and exhaust chamber for forward exhaust from the machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of aforwardly exhausting dryer with the front door opened;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. I with parts broken away to show theirassembled relationship and with the door closed;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the front portion of thedryer; and,

FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view ofthe unitary air duct for theforwardly exhausting dryer according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring initially to FIG. 1,an automatic clothes dryer I0 incorporating the air flow apparatus andsystem of the present invention is shown. However, for the most part,the dryer has structure well known in the prior art such as an outercabinet 12 housing a rotatably mounted forwardly open clothes tub 14.The cabinet includes a back panel (not shown) having sufficient louversor openings therein to permit ambient air into the interior thereof anda front panel 16 having an inset portion 18 defining a first opening 20generally concentric with the opening of the interior tub for access tothe tub and a second opening 22 subadjacent the first opening andcovered by a filter or screen 24.

A forwardly opened door 26 is hingedly attached to the front panel 16for movement between an open position shown and a closed positionwherein it fits generally within the inset area 18 of the front paneland covers both openings 20 and 22.

Still referring to FIG. 1, it is seen that the inner face 28 of the door26 has a portion 30 formed outwardly from the general plane so as toextend into the access opening 20 a sufficient distance to prevent theclothes, tumbling in the tub 14, from becoming lodged in the spacebetween the inner face of the door and the front panel when the door isclosed. Also, the door 26 has a gasket 32 attached, as by cementing, sothat in a closed position there is an effective air seal encircling bothopenings 20 and 22 to form a confined air flow path as will be describedlater. The front panel 16 also contains a third opening (or plurality ofspaced openings as shown) 34 generally adjacent the floor or bottom ofthe machine and outside the area covered by the door for a purpose to bedescribed.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a portion of the interior of the dryerhousing is shown generally adjacent the front panel 16. Thus, it is seenthat the dryer includes a drive motor 36 having a shaft 38 extendingrearwardly and drivingly coupled, through a belt and pulley mechanism 40to the tub 14. The forwardly extending motor shaft 42 is coupled to acentrifugal fan 44 enclosed in a scroll-shaped housing 46 which forms apart of a unitarily molded air duct 48 which also includes an inletchamber 50 and exhaust chamber 52 as hereinafter more fully explained.

Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 in conjunction with FIG. 4 it is seenthat the unitarily molded integral air duct 48 just mentioned isessentially a forwardly open box-like structure having a planar backwall 54 surrounded by forwardly extending peripheral side walls 56, atop wall 58 and bottom wall 60. The length of the box is such as togenerally extend across the back face of the front panel 16 with the topwall 58 thereof notched as at 62 to receive the inset portion 18 of thepanel. Also. the height of the box is such that it extends from abovethe second opening 22 in the front panel 16 to below the third opening34 generally adjacent the floor. in the panel.

The leading edge of the peripheral walls 56, 58 and 60 of the box are inintimate contact with the rear face of the front panel 16 for effectivesealing engagement therewith and held thereon by screws 64.

The forwardly open box is partitioned by a horizontal forwardlyextending dividing wall 66 which extends between opposing side walls 56and projects forwardly so as to be in intimate facing engagement withthe rear face of the front panel [6 intermediate the openings 22 and 34therein. That portion of the box-like structure thus formed by back wall54, opposing side walls 56, top wall 58, and partitioning wall 66 anddisposed directly rearwardly of the second opening 22 thus comprises theair intake chamber 50. And. that portion formed by the back wall.opposing side walls. bottom wall. and partitioning wall and directlyrearwardly of the third. or outlet. opening 34 in the front panelcomprises the exhaust chamber 52.

The fan housing 46 extends rearwardly from the back face of the backwall 54 and is defined by a contoured peripheral wall 68 in the generalshape of a scroll comprising an enlarged circular periphery adjacent oneside leading into a narrower elongate fan discharge portion extendingacross the back wall to the other side. As best seen in FIG. 2, whenassembled. the fan 44 resides within the circular periphery of thehousing 46. The back wall ofthe box-like structure includes an aperture70 which. on the front side. is in the area of the intake chamber 50 andalso generally coaxial with the fan so that the fan and intake chamberare in air flow communication therethrough. Further. as best shown inFIG. 4. the back wall 54 of the box-like structure includes an aperture72 in the lowermost area of the scroll-shaped fan housing 46. andextending generally along its length. leading therefrom to the exhaustchamber 52 on the front face of the box. Forwardly projecting fins 74generally guide the air flow to direct it into and through the exhaustchamber.

Still referring to FIG. 4 it is seen that a plate 76 is attached to theback edge of the wall 68 of the fan housing in an effective sealingengagement as by screws through appropriately spaced bosses in the wallvThe plate 76 defines an enlarged opening 78 in the area corresponding tothe fan position and sized so as to be able to receive the fantherethrough. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, this opening 78 is closed whenthe fan and housing are in the assembled position by a sealing plate 80having a central aperture 82 for receipt of the motor shaft 42therethrough and a flange area 84 of greater diameter than the opening78 for sealing engagement with the plate 76 about the opening 78. Acompression spring 86 is coiled about the motor shaft 42 with one endabutting the motor mounting frame 88 and the other end abutting thesealing plate 76 to resiliently urge the plate axially outwardly towardthe fan 44.

Thus the fan 44 is assembled in the housing 46 through the opening 78.the sealing plate 80 abuts the 6 maintaining the front wall structure ofthe box tight against the front panel 16 in cooperation with thepreviously mentioned mounting screws 64. The back plate 76 also containsa second opening 90 generally in alignment with the elongated dischargeportion of the fan of the scroll-shaped fan housing 46 which. for themost part. is maintained closed by a screwed-on plate 92 and for apurpose to be described later.

With the fan 44 operating as in a drying cycle. the air is drawn intothe dryer housing 12 through the back panel. and into and through aheating chamber and the clothes tub as is well known in the art. Fromthere the air flow is as shown by arrows in FIGS. 3 and 4 which show thewarm moist air exiting the tub 14 through its open front and accessopening 20 in the front panel 16 and into the confined area between theclosed door and the front panel as sealed by the gasket 32. From therethe air is drawn into the intake chamber 50 through the filter 24 andopening 22 in the front panel. The air then enters the scroll-shaped fanhousing 46 to be discharged through the opening 72 therein to theforwardly facing exhaust chamber 52 which is open to the room throughthe bottommost openings 34 in the front panel. It is noted that thefront panel 16 in this area is also inset with an upwardly tapering wall94 defining the openings 34. In this way the air flow is given a final,upwardly directed. path so that its contact with adjacent coolersurfaces. typically the floor. which may be cool enough to condensevapor in the exhaust air, is minimal. Thus. the air flow duct in thedescribed dryer comprises this single one-piece molded boxlike structurewhich is mounted on and utilizes the front panel of the dryer housing toform a part thereof.

In those instances wherein it is desirable to have the dryer exhaustrearwardly. as is commonly done in the larger capacity machines. theabove-described structure can. by simple modification shown in FIG. 4.accommodate the requirements. Thus. by merely blocking the frontlowermost openings 34 in the panel 16 as by attaching a strip ofmaterial 96 thereover. and removing the plate 92 from its normallyclosed opening 90 on the back plate 76 of the fan housing and insertinga conduit pipe 98 leading to the desired exhaust location. the forwardexhaust is blocked and replaced by a confined rear exhaust.

What 1 claim is:

1. An improved air circulation system for a clothes dryer having acabinet structure housing a rotatable clothes basket with a forwardlyfacing opening. drive means for rotating said basket. said cabinetincluding a front panel having a first opening comprising an accessopening generally concentric with said basket opening. a second openinggenerally subadjacent said access opening and a third opening spacedfrom said second opening. a door hingedly mounted on said panel forcovering both said first and second openings when said door is in aclosed position and means including said door and said front paneldefining a confined air flow passage between said first and secondopenings on the forward face of said front panel when said door isclosed and wherein the improvement comprises:

a molded one-piece air duct and fan scroll defining in cooperation withthe inner face of said panel an air inlet chamber in effective sealingengagement with said panel surrounding said second opening;

an air exhaust duct in effective sealing engagement with said panelsurrounding said third opening, and;

a fan scroll means for housing a rotatable fan, said means having a wallcommon to both said inlet chamber and said exhaust duct including aninlet opening between said inlet chamber and said fan housing and anoutlet between said housing and said exhaust duct.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said air inlet chamber of saidone-piece molded duct defines a forwardly open box-like structure andsaid exhaust duct defines another forwardly open box-like structure,said box-like structures having a common forwardly projecting dividingwall for sealingly engaging said front panel.

3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said fan scroll meanscomprises a rearwardly projecting wall extending from said wall of saidscroll means common to both said inlet chamber and said exhaust duct,and a separate plate member attached to said projecting wall and inopposed spaced relation to said last named common wall to define the fanhousing therebetween.

4. Structure according to claim 3 wherein said plate includes a firstaperture having a removable cover, said aperture providing an auxiliaryoutlet means for rearwardly exhausting from said scroll means when saidcover is removed and said forwardly exhausting air exhaust duct isblocked.

5. The structure according to claim 2 wherein said air exhaust ductfurther includes air deflector means for directing the flow ofdischarging air.

6. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said effective sealingengagement between said housing and said air inlet chamber and betweensaid housing and said air outlet chamber is effectuated by a forwardlyextending perimetric wall terminating in an edge in facing engagementwith said front panel so as to enclose said second opening and saidthird opening respectively.

7. Structure according to claim 6 wherein a filtering means is disposedwithin said second opening and wherein said outlet chamber includesmeans for imparting an upwardly directed flow to the discharge air. k l

1. An improved air circulation system for a clothes dryer having acabinet structure housing a rotatable clothes basket with a forwardlyfacing opening, drive means for rotating said basket, said cabinetincluding a front panel having a first opening comprising an accessopening generally concentric with said basket opening, a second openinggenerally subadjacent said access opening and a third opening spacedfrom said second opening, a door hingedly mounted on said panel forcovering both said first and second openings when said door is in aclosed position and means including said door and said front paneldefining a confined air flow passage between said first and secondopenings on the forward face of said front panel when said door isclosed and wherein the improvement comprises: a molded one-piece airduct and fan scroll defining in cooperation with the inner face of saidpanel an air inlet chamber in effective sealing engagement with saidpanel surrounding said second opening; an air exhaust duct in effectivesealing engagement with said panel surrounding said third opening, and;a fan scroll means for housing a rotatable fan, said means having a wallcommon to both said inlet chamber and said exhaust duct including aninlet opening between said inlet chamber and said fan housing and anoutlet between said housing and said exhaust duct.
 2. Structureaccording to claim 1 wherein said air inlet chamber of said one-piecemolded duct defines a forwardly open box-like structure and said exhaustduct defines another forwardly open box-like structure, said box-likestructures having a common forwardly projecting dividing wall forsealingly engaging said front panel.
 3. Structure according to claim 2wherein said fan scroll means comprises a rearwardly projecting wallextending from said wall of said scroll means common to both said inletchamber and said exhaust duct, and a separate plate member attached tosaid projecting wall and in opposed spaced relation to said last namedcommon wall to define the fan housing therebetween.
 4. Structureaccording to claim 3 wherein said plate includes a first aperture havinga removable cover, said aperture providing an auxiliary outlet means forrearwardly exhausting from said scroll means when said cover is removedand said forwardly exhausting air exhaust duct is blocked.
 5. Thestructure according to claim 2 wherein said air exhaust duct furtherincludeS air deflector means for directing the flow of discharging air.6. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said effective sealingengagement between said housing and said air inlet chamber and betweensaid housing and said air outlet chamber is effectuated by a forwardlyextending perimetric wall terminating in an edge in facing engagementwith said front panel so as to enclose said second opening and saidthird opening respectively.
 7. Structure according to claim 6 wherein afiltering means is disposed within said second opening and wherein saidoutlet chamber includes means for imparting an upwardly directed flow tothe discharge air.